Earlier this week, the Globe and Mail released its annual survey of Canadian universities, giving them letter grades in a variety of categories ranging from convenience of class scheduling to library hours of operation.
The University Report Card asks students on the respective campuses what their school’s strengths and weaknesses are and effectively outlines its methodology in the published results. The rankings divide universities based on their size. Included in the report are stories on relevant issues to post-secondary education such as the role of technology and whether leaving home to go to school is the right decision.
The rankings can come in especially handy for prospective students on the other side of the country—or the world—who aren’t able to visit the schools. In those cases, the Globe’s rundown is a useful tool for determining who’s best at serving an array of interests.
Comparative reports, such as the Globe’s, are useful because they lay out all the necessary information in easy-to-read graphs and charts. The numbers present an aggregate opinion of each school’s student bodies, so prospective students know the results are from the perspective of your peers—not that school’s glossy viewbook.
The survey takes an in-depth look at facets of the universities, ranking a total of 76 bases of comparison, which include life both on and off campus. Providing such an extensive list allows applicants to pick and choose what matters to them most, and make their decision knowing they’re well-informed in all areas of importance.
There are, however, limitations to using this system as the sole resource for selecting a school. Ultimately, grades and marks can only tell you so much about a school, and anyone making a decision based solely on surveys like this is doing so at their peril. These surveys present a valuable tool for students making all-important and often confusing decisions. The university experience is individual and one person’s devotion to his or her school won’t necessarily mean a positive experience for another.
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